Spring-wheel



M. N. CLAY.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1918.

Patented Mar: 22, 1921.

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SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAYB.191B.

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UNHTED STATES MARCELAN'N'. CLAY, OF MORGAN CITY, LOUISIANA.

sPRIIvG-WHEEL.

ame in Application filed May 8, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVIARCELAN N. CLAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morgan City, in the parish of St. Mary and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-l/Vheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a spring wheel and the object is to provide means for resiliently mounting certain of the elements with referenceto the axle in order to take up unusual vibration or shock due to obstacles-encountered in the road way, or the uneven surface of the road way.

A further object is to provide means for resiliently mounting the axle with reference to the wheel proper, said means including a disk member carrying a plurality of laterally extending devices mounted thereon, the wheel proper carrying inwardly and radially extending members located between the devices carried by the disk, and resilient members mounted between the several projecting devices, certain of the resilient members being adjustable.

Figure 1 is a view of the wheel in elevation, the cover of the casing surrounding the hub being removed and portions of the casing and the mounting elements for the springs being in section, I

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, in section and elevation, showing a modified form,

Fig. 4 is a detail in section, showing the springs mounted as in Fig. 3.

The rim of the wheel is designated 10, the spokes 11, and a casing or annular element having connection with the spokes and constituting a hub inclosing member is shown at 12, this casing being provided with inwardly extending flanges 13 and 14.

Flange 14 and disk 15 are in approximate contact and are relatively movable, the latter carrying centrally a sleeve or hub 16 rigidly mounted and accommodating the axle 17. Extending inwardly from annular member 12 toward the axle is a series of stationary members 18 provided with ears 19 and apertures to permit of the pivotal mounting of brackets 20 accommodating certain of the ends of the springs mentioned below. Between each pair of stationary members 18 is a resiliently mounted device 40, said device being pivoted at 23 to a spring holding device or bracket 24. A spring 25 connects bracket 24 with a similar Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Serial No. 233,327.

bracket 26 pivotally mounted at 27 on an car 28 carried by the annular casing member 12.

The springs 30 are located between pivotally mounted brackets or spring held devices 31, one of which is pivoted at 32 to car 19 on stationary member 18 and the other of which is pivoted at to member constituting a fixedly mounted abutment. This member 35 is provided with a tubular portion as shown and with laterally extending ears for pivotally mounting the holders or brackets 31 above referred to. Member 35 is rigid with reference to plate 15, as illustrated in Fig. 2. An adjustably mounted member which may be controlled by a key or the likeextends into one end of the bore'a-nd is designated 38, being retained in position by a lock nut 39. The position of this member 38 determines the degree of movement of a pin 40 pivotally connected at 41 with the bracket or spring holding device 24 retaining one end of spring 25 in position. Element 38 is threaded into the bore of member 35 and pin 40 is slidable and abuts the end of member 38.

It is obvious that the several springs mounted as shown provide for taking up strains exerted in a direction or directions at substantially right angles with each other.

A second disk 5 opposite disk 15 is retained by suitable securing devices designated 6 passing through the disk 5 and flange 13.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 l have provided for adjusting a plurality of springs from one point. In this form the spokes of the wheel are designated 50, the annular member surrounding the hub is designated 51 and connected therewith are ears 52 to which spring securing devices 53 are pivoted. These devices may comprise bracket members portions of which may be of cup formation as shown in cross section in Fig. 4, although the section last indicated illustrates more particularly the securing device for the other springs mentioned below. Connected with bracket 52 is a spring 54 having connection with a bracket 55 into which passes the threaded shank 56 of a yoke member 57 An adjusting nut is shown at 58.

This yoke 57 is .pivotally connected in the manner shown in Fig. 4, with a plurality of yokes 60 and 61 each having a threaded shank 62 and 63 cooperating witha threaded aperture in one of the brackets or cup shaped securing devices 64. A pin 59 mounted on disk 15 effects the pivotal connection for the yokes. Between these devices 64 and similar devices 65 are coil springs 66. Each securing device 65 is pivotally connected at 67 with a radial meml er 68 carried by the annular member 51 and extending inwardly therefrom. These members 68 are in line with the axis of the spokes. it will be observed therefore that the tension on either one of the springs above mentioned may be varied by making the required adjustment of the threaded shank 56, 62, or as the case may be.

lV hat is claimed is:

1. In a device 01 the class described, rim, a plurality of spokes connected there with, a casing mounted concentrically with reference to the rim and ronnected with the spokes, a disk member, a sleeve connected therewith and providing a bearing for an axle, said disk member closing one side of the casing, a second disk member closing the opposite side of the casing, a plurality of stationary members pro ecting inwardly from the casing toward the axle and spaced apart, means carried by the disk first named at spaced intervals and rigidly mounted thereon, said means projecting, respectively, between the stationary members on the casing, springs mounted between the stationary members and said means carried by the disk, an adjustable member retained in position by a pairof adjacent springs, and means for connecting the adjustable member directly with the casing and including a resilient element. 2. in a device of the class described, a wheel comprising a hub, an annular casing surrounding the hub and connected therewith, a rim, spokes extending between the casing and rim, radially extending devices projecting inwardly from the casing toward the hub, a resilient device connected with each of the radial devices, a spring and securing means connected with the casing at a point intermediate of the radial devices, and adjusting means centering at a common point for adjusting the tension on the springs. v

In testimony whereof-I afiix my signature.

' MARCELAN N. CLAY. 

